HIS4125 ¨C Power and Violence from Vikings to Knights

Course content

The popular image of small ruthless bands of heathen Scandinavian marauders attacking defenceless monks is quite far from that of heavily-armoured knights charging across the battlefield under a hail of arrows. But how different were they really? This course will compare the patterns of violence, and the power structures that supported them, in the early and later medieval periods. Rather than treating these two case studies from a strictly military history perspective, though, we will explore the political and social ramifications of violence through broad themes including identities, rulership, gender, and cultures of violence. What were the causes and motivations of these conflicts? Who had power and who did not? How were warrior bands and armies organised in these societies? Where did individual and group loyalties lie? We will see how diverse people interacted with these structures and events: lords and peasants, warriors and clerics, women and men, doers and observers. By considering two distinctive periods of medieval violence each other, students will develop an understanding of the questions historians can ask in comparative contexts. They will also engage with primary sources in a range of formats to gain insight into how and why the histories of conflict have been written.

Learning outcome

On successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Identify and explain the main interpretive issues surrounding power and violence in both early and later medieval contexts
• Evaluate and synthesize different academic opinions on the study of medieval violence and power structures
• Apply appropriate analytical techniques to a range of primary source types
• Reflect critically on the process of historiographical inquiry within a comparative historical framework

Admission to the course

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If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures.

Recommended previous knowledge

A background of at least 30 credits in humanities or social sciences.

A good ability to read, write and understand English is required for this course.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with HIS2125 ¨C Power, Violence and Politics during the Viking Raids and the Hundred Years¡¯ War.

Teaching

The course will be taught in twelve 2-hour seminars. It is expected that students will participate actively in seminar discussions and other activities based on their prepared readings, as this in-class work forms the core of the teaching. The reading list is partially set by the instructors, while students will be responsible for independently identifying and preparing two additional readings for each seminar, following guidance on how to undertake such research.

Compulsory assignments:

The workload for this course is relatively evenly distributed across the whole semester, with the compulsory components helping students build their final portfolio. The following requirements must be met to qualify to submit the final portfolio examination:

• Seminar attendance (minimum 75%)
• 2 primary source analyses (1,5-2 pages)
• 3 article commentaries (1,5-2 pages)

The primary source analysis will discuss the contextual and interpretive significance of a single textual or material source similar to those encountered in seminars. One primary source must be selected from the early medieval case study and one from the later. Further information about the source analysis will be given in class.

The article commentaries consist of responses to a set of questions that will be distributed in class, and require reflection on the secondary reading selected by the student for that seminar. At least one commentary must come from the early medieval case study and one from the later.

Examination

The final examination consists of a portfolio (mappe) submission of up to 15 pages total, consisting of the following elements:

• 2 revised article commentaries (3 pages each)
• 1 revised primary source analysis (3 pages)
• A synthesis paper of approximately 5-6 pages

The article commentaries and primary source analyses selected from the portfolio should come from among the student¡¯s compulsory work, revised based on both subsequent class discussions and instructor feedback. The student may select which of their compulsory article commentaries and which primary source analysis they drop from their final portfolio.

Further instructions regarding the portfolio and the synthesis paper will be given in class.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.